Condenser



25, 1942- N. s. CAMPBELL I 2,293,712

CONDENSER Filed April 9, 1941 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDENSER Nelson S.Campbell, Brookline, Mass. Application April 9, 1941, Serial No. 387,638

17 Claims. (01. 19-150) Y I This application is a continuationin part ofmy application 'Serial No. 292,680 filed August 30, 1939. The inventionrelates to an apparatus for handling textile fibers such for instance asthe performing of certain steps in a process for the formation of staplefiber sliver which procass is more fully described in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 340,415 filed June 14, 1940, and moreparticularly relates to an improvement of the condenser alreadyillustrated in the said applications. v

The invention has for one of its objects the handling of fibers orsynthetic filaments which are of a rather wild and unruly nature such,for instance, as mohair, rayon, celanese, or Bemberg to condense a webof such synthetic filaments into a rope or sliver for further textileoperations.

Another object of the invention is to provide traveling means engagingthe fibers and moving with the fibers through the apparatus and while somoving to condense or change the work from one shape'to another.

Another object of the invention isto so convey the work that'it issubjected to no friction to oppose'its' forward "travel while acondensing action takesiplace to crowd the filaments or fibers into adifferent arrangement as they proceed through the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condenser having anarrangement which will receive the fibers in a mouth or opening largerthan the width of the mass of fibers to be received and then move thefibers laterally into a different relation as they are travelingforward. 3

Another object of the invention is to provide a stroking of the fibersas they are condensed.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a clearer for the upperroll of the apparatus from which the work is received.

A further object of the invention is to hold the fiber-s of the workagainst flying upwardly as they travel through the condensing operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to utilize a single beltwhich is usually a part of a gilling unit for operation in both thepreceding gill and this apparatus for conveying the fibers through thecondenser which is the subject of this application.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the condenser and also shows a portion ofthe gilling apparatus preceding the action of the condenser on the workwith the upper of the two delivery rolls omitted and a portion of afalse twisting apparatus which performs a subsequent operation upon thework;

Fig.'2 is a sectional view of the condenser shown in Fig. 1 and parts ofthe gilling and false twisting apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the condenser similar to Fig. 2 butillustrating a modified arrangement of only the belts and rolls'in theirrelationship.

In the treating of filaments of continuous length to providestaple'fiber therefrom, I find that such filaments as rayon, celanese,Bemberg or possibly other synthetic filaments, are of "such an unrulynature that it is difficult' to'handl'e them. Friction on thesefilaments along any of the parts of an apparatus operating on'thefilaments tends to' disrupt them and make treatment difiicult and inorder that the web of the material consisting ofthes'e filaments may betransformed into a rope-like formation or sliver;

I have provided 'for a condenser havinga plurality of traveling apronswhich will move with the work to convey it and at the same timecondenseit prior to the application of a false twist in the process oftreating the work, as more fully described in the complete processapplication above mentioned; and the following is a more detaileddescription of the present embodiment of this invention, illustratingthe preferred means by which these advantageous results may beaccomplished:

With reference to the drawing, 'I illustrate at a part of agillingmechanismwhich-precedes the operation of my condenser uponthe'work. One of the gill'bar's and its needles is designated with theneedles 56 positioned thereon, the intersecting bar with its needles ofthe 'gilling operation not being shown. The delivery rolls 58 and 59 'ofthe gilling mechanism are mus trated in Fig. '2 (roll 58 being omittedin Fig'. 1 for clearness). I j V The condenser which is 'the subject ofthis application consists of a bed plate 6| which supports two drivingrolls 62 and 63 which are driven from a rotating part of the adjacentapparatus, such as by means of sprocket gear 64, sprocket chain 65,sprocket gear 66, shaft 67, spiral gears 68 and 69, the latter of whichis on shaft" of the roll 63. A gear H drives the corresponding gear I2on the shaft of roll 62 by intermeshing intermediate gears I3 and I4 inplan view in Fig. 1.

A belt I5 extends about the roll 62 and also about idler rolls I6 and 11to dispose the belt in generally triangular formation with theworkengaging span I8 of the belt at an angle to the direction ofmovement of the work through the apparatus. A belt I9 extends about thepulley 63 and also about idler pulleys 80 and 8I which are mounted onone arm 82 of an L-shaped bracket 83 which has its other arm 84 pivotedas at 85 outside of the area enclosed by the belt I9. One work-engagingspan 86 of this belt is likewise angularly disposed with reference tothe direction of travel of the work so that both workengaging spans ofbelts I8 and 86: form a V- shaped opening between them.

A convenient means of urging the belts I5 and I9 together is providedand by reason of the pivotal mounting of the rolls 80 and 8| on theL-shaped bracket 83 the tension serves to swing the span 86 of belt I9toward the span I8 of the other belt until the belts are in contact atthe location of their pulleys I1 and 80, thus tending to squeeze anymaterial which passes between these pulleys, although allowing aswinging of the belt I9 away from the belt I5 at this location toaccommodate varying amounts of work which may pass through or betweenthese rolls.

The inclined spans 18 and 86 of the belts in some cases may be supportedby back-up plates IOI which are mounted on brackets I02 extending fromthe bed plate 6| for span I8 and from. the arm 84 for the span 86, oneof these back-up plates for each of the spans above indicated being solocated that if the tension of the belt is insufiicient to hold the sametaut against considerable pressure of the work, the'back-up' plates willassist in supporting this span of the belt for this purpose.

The usual depending apron which encircles the roll 59 of this gillingapparatus is designated 88 and instead of depending as usual, isextended over an idler roll 89 and over a plate 90 which is supportedfrom the bed plate 6| by means of uprights 9|. The span 93 of this beltis so located that it will be beneath the inclined spans I8 and 86 so asto support work 92 which leaves the gills and passes between thedelivery rolls 58 and 59 and enters between the converging belts I8 and86, although it is short of the termination of these converging belts asidlers I1, 80 are beyond the end of this supporting belt. The apron 88is suitably tensioned by pulley 95 supported by member 96 adjustable bythreaded rod 91 and nut 98 and supported on bracket 99 from theframework 94.

In some cases it is desirable to provide the belts I5 and I9 only of awidth sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the work which is to bepassed through the condenser, and in this case I mount an upper apronI05 to engage the upper surface of the work as it travels through thecondenser and assist in feeding the work therethrough. This apronencircles roll I06 and roll I01. Rolls I06 and I0! are reduced toprovide portions I08 and I09, both having bearings H0 and III in theframe of the machine. Roll I06 is suitably driven from roll 59 by gearsH2 and H3. Roll I06 is placed so that belt I05 in passing about the samewill just clear the surface of roll 58 of the gilling machine, and thusany stray fibers which might extend upwardly will engage this belt I05to cause the fibers-to enter into the condensing mechanism and preventlicking of the fibers about roll 58. This apron I05 also serves toprevent any wild or unruly fibers from extending upwardly over the topedge of the spans I8 or 86 of the converging aprons and thus controlsthe condensing action more completely by reason of this apron above thework.

p The work which is received from the gill in the form of a flat,ribbon-like web of greater breadth than thickness will be transformedinto a rope-like sliver as it is delivered from the belts and throughthe rolls I1 and to the false twisting apparatus designated generallyI00.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, the usual gill belt II5encircles the delivery roll 59 of the gilling machine, and the condenserwhich I have provided is a separate unit, completely independent of thegilling machine unit. The parts of the condenser in the modifiedarrangement are the same as heretofore described with the exception ofapron 88 of the heretofore described unit. In place of this apron 88, Iprovide an apron II6 which extends about a roll I I1 so mounted thatthis roll will be adjacent to the roll 59. The apron H6, however, willextend about the roll 89, and the other aprons of the mechanism of thecondenser will be the same. This roll II'I will be driven from roll 59in some suitable manner.

The triangular arrangement of the belts permits the span which extendsover and moves with the belt 88 or II6 to converge the fibers while thereturning spans are spaced clear of this belt and will not contact orwear on the same. As the spans 18 and 86 of the angular formation have agreater distance to travel than the straight line of the span of thebelt 88 or corresponding span of belt I05, these belts will be caused totravel slightly faster to cause the vertical aprons and horizontalaprons to travel at the same uniform speed which may be accomplished byreason of the constant angle to the direction of feed. By reason of thearrangement here provided the capacity for receiving and operating uponwide ribbon or web of Work is had. Less licking of the fiber will be hadby use of the top horizontally disposed apron.

Roll 89 may be adjusted by reason of its mounting in bearings I20, therebeing a slot I2I and screw connection I22 for this purpose.

As the mass of fibers is delivered from the condenser, they then enter afalse twister or controller where twist is imparted to the mass ofcondensed fibers in order to form it into a sliver, this apparatus beingdesignated I00. Details of this apparatus are more fully set forth in mycopending application, Serial No. 340,415, filed June 14, 1940.

I claim:

1. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a pair of traveling apronseach embracing three pulleys to dispose the aprons in triangularformation, each apron in its span between two pulleys engaging thefibers, said fiber-engaging spans progressively converging, and atraveling supporting apron beneath the fiber-engaging span of saidaprons to travel with and support the fibers as they are condensed bysaid converging aprons, the pulleys at the forward end of fiber engagingspans being beyond the forward end of the supporting apron.

2. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a pair of traveling aprons,each embracing three pulleys to dispose the aprons in triangularformation, each apron in its span between two pulleys engaging thefibers, said fiber-engaging spans progressively converging, two of" thepulleys for one apron being mounted on a movable bracket, said bracketbeing pivoted outside of the area enclosed by the apron, whereby saidbracket and the apron thereon tend to move toward the opposite apron,

3. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a pair of traveling apronseach embracing three pulleys to dispose the aprons in triangularformation, each apron in its span between two pulleys engaging thefibers, said fiber-engaging spans progressively converging, two of thepulleys for one apron being mounted on amovable bracket, said bracketbeing pivoted outside of the area enclosed by the apron, whereby saidbracket and the apron thereon tend to move toward the opposite apron,and a traveling supporting apron beneath the fiber-engaging span of saidaprons to travel with and support the fibers as they are condensed bysaid converging aprons.

4. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiber-engaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drivepulley and each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of saidvertical aprons over the horizontal apron.

5. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiberengaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drive pulleyand each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of said verticalaprons over the horizontal apron, a second idler pulley for each apronpositioned beyond the projection of the edges of said horizontal apronand about which the vertical aprons are directed to position the returnstretch of the vertical aprons beyond the edges of the horizontal apron.

6. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiber-engaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drivepulley and each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of saidvertical aprons over the horizontal apron, a bracket for the idlerpulley of one apron and means for pivoting said bracket at a locationoutside of the enclosure of said apron.

7. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial Width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiber-engaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drivepulley and each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of saidvertical apron over the horizontal apron, second idler pulleyspositioned beyond the projection of the edges of said horizontal apronand about which the vertical aprons are directed to position the returnstretch of the vertical aprons beyond the edges of the horizontal apron,a bracket for the idler pulleys of one apron,and means for pivoting saidbracket at a location outside of the enclosure of said apron.

8. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiber-engaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drivepulley and each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of saidvertical aprons over the horizontal apron, said vertical aprons beingdriven at a surface speed greater than the surface speed of thehorizontal apron.

9. In combination with the lower delivery roll of a gilling apparatus, acondenser having a horizontal roll, a horizontal apron about said rolls,and converging aprons having their fiberengaging runs in vertical planescooperating with said horizontal apron.

10. In combination with the lower delivery roll of a gilling apparatus,a condenser having a horizontal roll, a horizontal apron about saidrolls, and converging aprons having their fiberengaging runs in verticalplanes cooperating with said horizontal apron, and means for drivingsaid vertical aprons from said delivery roll.

11. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a horizontally travelingapron of substantial width, vertical shafts at either side of themarginal edge thereof, drive pulleys on said shafts, closely relatedidler pulleys beyond the end of said apron, traveling aprons havingtheir fiber-engaging runs in vertical planes, one about each drivepulley and each idler pulley to provide converging stretches of saidvertical aprons over the horizontal apron, means for driving one of saidvertical shafts and means driving the one vertical shaft from the other.

12. The step in the method of handling a web of staple textile fibers toform a sliver which consists in contacting opposite edges of a web offibers by surface means traveling with the fibers and moving the saidtraveling surface means toward each other to cause the fibers betweenthe surface means to move toward each other, and thereafter rotating thework about an axis within the work to relatively twist the fibers andform a sliver.

13. The step in the method of handling a web of staple textile fibers toform a sliver which consists in contacting the bottom and opposite edgesof a web of fibers by surface means traveling with the fibers and movingthe said traveling opposite edge web surface engaging means toward eachother to cause the fibers between the surface means to move toward eachother, and thereafter rotating the work about an axis within the work torelatively twist the fibers and form a sliver.

14. A condenser for textile fibers comprising a pair of travelingwork-engaging aprons with their work-engaging spans generally parallel,a moving delivery surface closely adjacent the entrance to one of saidaprons, and a second pair of traveling aprons between the work-engagingsurfaces of the first pair with the spans of the aprons of the secondpair which engagethe work progressively converging.

15. A condenser for textile fibers comprising upper and lower travelingaprons with the workengaging spans being horizontally arranged and inparallel spaced relation, a moving delivery surface closely adjacent theentrance end of the upper of said aprons, and aprons having their runsin vertical planes cooperating with said hori- 10 zontal aprons.

17. In combination with the upper delivery roll of a gilling apparatus,a condenser having horizontal upper and lower traveling aprons,converging traveling aprons having their fiber-engaging runs in verticalplanes between said horizontal aprons, said upper horizontal apron beinglocated sufficiently close to the upper delivery roll of the gillingapparatus to act as a clearer for said gilling apparatus roll.

NELSON S. CAMPBELL.

